Friday, November 11, 2016

With social media taking over every aspect of our day it is no surprise that it has made its way into one of the biggest days of your lives. Many tech savvy brides have added the fun and social trends to their wedding days that are both helpful and fun for their guests.

Starting with the proposal many brides post the exciting news to Facebook as soon as they can. According to Mashable and The Knot's survey, "Within hours of saying "yes," 28% of brides-to-be updated their social media statuses, while 24% do so the next day."(See more of the awesome article linked below) Many bride's feel that seeing their friend's and family's reaction to their news is half the excitement.

From the proposal day forward (and way before then) most bride's turn to Pinterest to get some inspiration for their big day. Not only is Pinterest entertaining for everyone it is also a very helpful tool to show your planner, florist, photographer and anyone else the look you are going for. Pinterest is also a great way to involve your bridesmaids into the planning process, create a secret board and invite all your girls to get their help.

Wedding websites have become a huge aspect of weddings lately .The website is a great place for guests to find out more information regarding the wedding party, where the couple is registered, which hotels are blocked out for guests along with more helpful information. Some couple's even add a place where their guests can RSVP to the event.

Geotags are an exciting new trend that we are seeing in weddings, bachelorette parties, bridal showers and any thing going along with wedding celebrations. For those who aren't familiar with geotags, they are a fun way to personalize your snapchat photos with a filter of the couples choosing. Couples usually include their name, wedding colors or clipart pertaining to the theme of their wedding in their filter. These filters can be used in a radius of your ceremony/ reception for a short amount of time that can be added to the pictures that your guests take. Click HERE to create yours!

Instagram hashtags are another fun way to get all guests' pictures is one place. Many couples make their hashtags known using decor at their reception so that guests can add the hashtag to the pictures that they take. Their are even a few sites that are dedicated to helping you generate your wedding hashtag, how fun! Get creative with it and check out the sites below to help you out.

Another tech trend we are seeing is go fund me. A few couples use this platform to pay for their honeymoon in loo of wedding gifts. Some couples say "why not" they are asking for something that will out last the dishes other couples ask for on their registries. Some couples believe it is totally acceptable while others find it a bit tacky to ask your guest's for money. Whatever you decide is between your fiancé and you.Get tech savvy with your wedding day and check out these great sites if you want to add some social media into your big day!

Monday, September 26, 2016

This week on the blog we are so excited to spotlight one of our favorite vendors, Hamilton Photography. Hamilton Photography is a great vendor to work with and even better people! We asked them a few questions for our readers to get to know them better.

How did you get started?

By chance, Mark and I met in San Francisco in a camera store (of all places!) . We realized we had so much in common including photography! We spent 2 years in San Francisco and fell in love! We decided to move to Maryland to be closer to my family and to start Hamilton Photography. We have never looked back.

What do you think every bride should know?

Prioritize what is important before you start vendor shopping. Pick the top 3 most important things to you (ie: food, venue, photography etc..) and don't 'cut corners ' on those vendors. I always suggest making a comparison analysis within your most important categories so you can make and solid decision and have no regrets

What is your favorite wedding memory?

So many to choose from! Having a beautiful wedding ceremony at the USNA and then hopping on a sailboat ride with the newly wed couple. They were so sweet. We did some epic photos on the Chesapeake Bay and then they had some quiet time to take in the amazing moments . Finally, we arrived to the Annapolis Waterfront Hotel by sailboat and I loved seeing how happy the couple was and then seeing all the excited guests waving at them.

What is your favorite trend?

The latest dresses are photographing so nicely and give a timeless feel. I am glad strapless is out and illusion necklines with delicately capped sleeves or dropped sleeves are in. I am also seeing more creativity with the back of dress. I love unique cuts and embellishments.

What is your favorite part of your job?

I Just love the relationship we create with our clients. Just the other day we ran into a bride and groom (and their newborn baby!) on the streets of downtown Annapolis. They were just excited to see us as we were to see them.

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

June 25th was a day to remember for Margaret, Gibbs and all of their guests. The picturesque couple was married at St. Anne's Church with the reception to follow at Whitehall. The couple's strong love for one another was shown throughout the event. Their first look, shot by Missy Janes from Stone Barn Photography,was nothing short of magical, Gibbs' face lit up when he saw his soon to be wife.The gorgeous reception was set up under the large tent by Loane Brothers. Guests were greeted with a tall glass of lemonade before entering the majestic reception, decorated with clear chairs and large flower arrangements. The event ended with guests dancing the night away on the black and white checkered dance floor. It was a magical event and we are so lucky we got to be a part of it. Congratulations to the new Mr. & Mrs. and may your new life together bring you so much happiness.

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Kevin and Jill were married at the groom's family home in Annapolis on a hot June day, it couldn't have been a more beautiful event. Guests arrived and were treated with lemonade to cool them down before the ceremony began.The couple got married overlooking the river with beautiful ceremony music played by Bay Strings Trio and a personal sermon by their reverend. The rustic barn was transformed into a chic reception site. The long tables were covered in white linens topped with full flower arrangements by Silver Stems. The gorgeous sunset brought all the guests outside and was later followed by fireworks for the couple. Everyone had a blast on the dance floor as the night went on. We are so happy for the new Mr. & Mrs. and thankful we were a part of their big day!

Congratulations to the new Mr. & Mrs. and thank you to all of the vendors!

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

This summer has been filled with wonderful weddings and even more lovely couples. We have seen some great new trends this season that have been pulled off immaculately.

Here are 5 trends that we have seen and love!

1. Long Tables

Many brides have opted out of traditional round tables and gone with long rectangular tables giving off more of a relaxed family feel. There are many different ways that this trend can be pulled off. We have seen just the head table, with the bride, groom and bridal party seated at a long table while the rest of the guests are seated at multiple round tables. We have also seen a mix of round and long rectangular tables making up the seating for the reception. If you want to go all the way with this trend go for multiple long tables to seat all of your guests.

Outdoor lawn games, such as Cornhole and giant Jenga, have been a big hit at weddings this summer. It's great entertainment for guests during cocktail hour and gives off a relaxed backyard party vibe. Many couples also personalize their Cornhole boards, how fun!

After drinking and dancing the night away your guests work up an appetite, and who doesn't love a late night snack? We have seen mini burgers and fries, pizza, and even food trucks pull up outside the reception. Get creative with it, show off what you and your significant other love to eat as your guilty pleasures.

Lastly for this summer's trends, we have seen many brides letting their bridesmaids decide what dress they would like to wear. Some brides pick a color and have their maids find a dress that matches, while others give their girls full range allowing them to pick any dress that makes them feel beautiful. This trend gives off a bohemian and carefree flair while letting your bridesmaids show a bit of their own style.

What we really love about this summer's trends are that brides are making their wedding their own and thinking outside of the box when it comes to style. We love these fun trends and can't wait to see what next seasons weddings hold.

Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Katelyn and Caleb said "I Do" on a beautiful June day at the United States Naval Academy Chapel. Katelyn looked gorgeous in her sweetheart lace gown and Caleb wore his impressive Navy uniform.

Katelyn's bridesmaids and junior bridesmaids each wore different color gowns to incorporate her pastel color scheme. She chose blue, green, pink and purple hues to integrate a spring ambiance. Their beautiful bouquets by Flower Follies brought all the colors together perfectly.

After the ceremony guests headed over to the Loews Hotel for a fun time at the reception.

The new Mr. & Mrs. Incorporated personal touches throughout their reception. The basket used to collect cards was a perfect touch since Caleb proposed while the two were riding in a hot air balloon! The newlyweds danced their first dance to acoustics by the brother of the bride. We love that!

The whole day was beautiful and filled with so much love! Thank you to all the vendors that made it all possible!